Electric heater



10, 1925 F. G. NIECE ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Oct. 10, 1923 QWDS E I I 1 r/ 1 ndzz //r ///A/////// ///A/////// i Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRED G. NIECE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CLEVELAND HEIGHTS VILLAGE,

ARTHUR MORGAN SMITH, OF

OHIO.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed October 10, 1923. Serial No. 667,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED G. NlECE, a citizen of the United States,'resid.ing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and 6 State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Elect 'ic Heater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toimprovements in electric heaters, and pertains more especially 10 to a rotary electric heater comprising a heatdeveloping electric conductor or resistance which extends circumferentially of the axis of the heater and is adapted to be connected in circuit with a source of electrical energy.

One object of this invention is to produce a rotary electric heater which will not excessively disturb the air surrounding the heater.

Another object is to construct an electric heater which is notonly suitable for general use but highly practical for use in incubators and in hair-dressing parlors.

Another object is to render my improved heater simple and durable in construction, and to facilitate the assemblage of the component parts of the heater.-

With these objects in view, and to attain any other object hereinafter appearing, this invention consists in certain features of construction, and combinations and relative arrangements of parts, hereinafter described in this specification, pointed out in the claims, and illlustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a central section of an electric heater embodying my invention. Figs. 2 ,and 3 are vertical sections taken along the line 22 and line 33 respectively in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken along the line 44 and line 55 respectively, in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows a portion of Fig. 1 on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is a section taken, along the line. 7-7 in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5 and 7 are drawn on the same. scale as Fig. 6.,

In said drawings, 10 (see Figs. 1 and 3) indicates a portion of a standard, bracket or support made of insulating material such, for instance as vulcanized rubber or fiber, and having a hole 11 extending horizontally through said support and occupied by a tubular member 12 of metal. Said member 12 is circular in cross-section and affords bearing to a tubular steel shaft 13. .The member 12 is provided, ,at one end and eX- ternally of the hole 11,- with an external annular flange 15 which abuts against said support, and, at the opposite end of said hole, the shaft 13 is provided with a driving wheel 16 to which power is applied in any approved manner for rotating the shaft. The wheel 16'is shown secured to the shaft- 13 by a set-screw 17.

The member 12 (see Fig. 1) is provided externally with a cavity 18 formed centrally between the ends of the hole 11 and engaged by a metal screw 19 threaded into the standard, and a currentconducting wire 20 electrically connects with the screw 19.

The shaft 13 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is lined internally with and surrounds a tube 21 composed of insulating material such, for instance, as fiber or micanite. The insulating tube 21 extends therefore endwise of the shaft 13 and insulates the shaft from and surrounds a current-conducting member 22 consisting preferably of a piece of copper. Said member 22 extends endwise of the tube 21 and is electrically engaged, at its end face adjacent the drivin wheel 16, by a resilient contact 23 shown in Fig. 1 as secured to the support 10 and electrically connected to a current-conducting wire 24.

The wires 20 and 24 are applied in any approved manner and adapted to be elec trically connected to opposite terminals respectively of a source of electrical energy.

An electric heater embodying my invention is mounted'on the shaft 13 adjacent the flanged end of the tubular member 12 and rotatable with the shaft as will hereinafter appear, and awasher 25 is interposed between said member 12 and the heater.

My improved electric heater comprises an insulating dis: 26 preferably composed of mica and surrounding the shaft 13 and penetrated at a multiplicity of suitably spaced points by a heat-developing electric conductor shown as consisting of a flat resistance wire 27 which (see Fig. 2) extends around said shaft, and therefore around the axis of said disk, and has portions (4 thereof arranged at one face of said disk and spaced circumferentially of said axis, and said resistance wire has portions Z) arranged at the other face of said disk and spaced circumferentially of said axis and alternating with the portions a. The resistance wire 2? extends through the disk 26 between adjacent portions [4 and Preferably the disk 2 aft kl has a multiplicity or series of holes 28 spaced longitudinally of the resistance wire 27 and extending from face to face of the disk, and said wire extends through said holes, as shown in Figs. l and 5, and from opposite ends respectively of each intermediate hole of said series of holes 28 extend two adjacent portions a and b of said wire circumferentially of the axis of the disk 26 in opposite directions respectively, and said adjacent portions of said wire are arranged at an obtuse angle to each other. A resistance wire arranged and applied in relation to the axis "of the disk 26, as hereinbefore described, is adequate and highly practical for a heater of the character indicated without involving the use of a greater length of resistance wire than actually needed. The resistance wire 27 is adapted to be included in the electric circuit comprising the wires 20 and 24, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

improved electric heater also coniprises two insulating and heat-transmitting disks 30 which are preferably composed of inic a and arranged opposite and next opposite faces respectively of and concentric in relation to the disk 26 which is the central or intermediate insulating disk of my improved heater.

The insulating and heat-transmitting disks 26 and 30 are substantially parallel and contained withina casing composed preferably "of two sheet-metal heat-radiating sections 31. which are concentric in relation to said disks; and arranged the one opposite the outer face of one, of the outer insulating disks 30 and the other opposite the outer face of the other of said outer 1n'sulati'ng disks.

the hereinhefore described construetion it will be observed that the resistance wire has spaced portions '64 interposed -between the intermediate insulating disk 26 and one of the outer insulating disks 30 and also has spaced portions Z) interposed between said intermediate disk and the other of said outer disks, that each of said outer disks is held in clamping relation to the adjacent portions of said wire as will hereinafter appear, and that the portions of said wire which are a-rran gedat one and the -same face of the intermediate insula.tingdisk are embedded partially in said disk and partially in the adjacent outer insulating disk. Each of the sections 31 of the casing is provided, at the outer circumference of the adjacent outer insulating disk 30, with an inwardly projecting annular flange 32 meeting the flange 32 of the other of said sections, and preferably said sections and the insulating disks 26 and 30 have such relative dimensions and arrangement that said insulating disks are closely embraced at their circumferential edges by said casin As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end portion (Z of the resistance wire 27 is electrically connected at its outer end to the casing comprising the heat-radiating sections 31,

and the inner end portion a of said wire e31 tends into electrical engagement with the current-conducting member 22 arranged in, and insulated as hereinbefcre described from, the shaft 13. Preferably the inner end portion 6 of the wire 27 (see Figs. 2 and 7) extends centrally of and through an insulating block composed preferably of fiber or inicanite and engaging a slot 35 formed in the shaft 13, and said portion 6 of said wire also extends into and through a slot 36 formed in the insulating tube 21.

The slot 36 of course registers with the slot 35," and said slots extend to the adjacent end face of the shaft 13 to permit the heater to he slid into place endwise of the shaft, and I would here remark that the slot 35 extends farther than the slot 36 from said end face of said shaft, and that preferably the relative arrangement of the parts is such that the insulating block 33 abuts against the end wall of the slot 35, and that the portion 6 of the resistance wire 27 is next adjacent the end wall of the slot 36.

The insulating disks 26 and 30 and the sections 31 of the heat-radiating casing containing said insulating disks are concentric in relation to the shaft 13 and (see Figs. 1 and 2) preferably tightly clamped together in any approved inanner upon the assemblage of said casing-sections and insulating disks and secured in place, at points spaced circuniferentially of the shaft, by rivets 37 which extend through said disks and casingsections. lt'will be observed, therefore,that each casing-section 31 is held in clamping relation to the adjacent outer heat-transmit ting insulating disk 39, and that said disk is held in clamping relation to the adjacent portions of the resistance wire- 27, and I would here remark that the clamping together of the casing-section 31 and insulatingfdi'sks26 and 30 causes said resistance wire to be embedded in all of said insulating 'disks.

My improved heater is operatively connected with a shaft 13 in any approved manner and preferably (see Figs. spline 38 extending longitudinally of the shaft internally of the heater and engaging a recess 39 formed in the shaft, and said spline extends through slots 20 formed in and in ternally of the disks 26 and 30 and engages slots ll formed in and internally of the sections/31 of the heat-radiating casing, so as to cause said casing, and consequently heater, to rotate with the shaft during the rotation of the shaft.

Although I have shown and described my improved electric heater as a rotary heater,

I would have it understood that my inven- 2 and '6) by a the tion' broadly covers any electric heater comprising the hereinbefore described relative arrangement of the insulating disks 26 and and heat-developing electric conductor 27, and that my invention also broadly embraces any electric heater in which said heatdeveloping conductor is embedded in a plurality of insulating and heat-transmitting disks which extend around the axis of the heater and are compactly and adequately housed in and by a sectional heat-radiating casing substantially as hereinbefore de scribed.

It will be observed that the securing devices 37 are spaced from the shaft 13 a distance measuring approximately or somewhat less than a quarter of the distance between the shaft and the circumferential flanges of the sections of the casing 31, and that all of the resistance wire 27, save the inner end portion 6 of said wire, is arranged wholly be tween the outer circumference of the casing and said securing devices, 'so that said wire, the insulating disks 26 and 30 and thecasing-sections 31 are efiiciently and reliably held together between the shaft 13 and the circumferential flanges 32 of said casingsections.

lVh'at- I claim is 1. An electric heater comprising an insulating disk, and a heat-developing electric conductor consisting of a. resistance wire which extends circumferentially of the axis of and is held in place in relation to said disk and adapted to be included in an electric circuit, said diskhaving a series of holes spaced longitudinally of said wire and extendingfrom face to face of said disk, said wire extending through said holes and, at each intermediate hole of said'series of holes, having two portions which are arranged at opposite faces respectively of said disk and extend from opposite ends respectively of said intermediate hole in opposite directions respectively circumferentially of the axis of the disk, and said portions of said wire bein arranged at an obtuse angle to each other. 7

2. An electric heater comprising three substantially parallel and concentric insulating and heat-transmitting disks arranged the one between the others, a heat-developing electric conductor adapted to be included in an electric circuit and having portions thereof arranged at one face and other portions arranged at the other face of said intel-mediate disk, and a casing comprising two heat-radiating circular sheet-metal sections which are concentric in relation to the aforesaid insulating disks and arranged the one opposite the outer face of and held in clamping relation to one of the outer insulating disks and the other opposite the outer face of and held in clampin relation to the other of said outer insulating disks, each.

provided, at the ,stantially parallel and concentric insulating and heat-transmitting disks arranged the one between the others, a heat-developing electric conductor adapted to be included in an electric circuit and having portions thereof arranged at one face and other portions thereof arranged at the other face of the intermediate disk, developing conductor which are arrangedat one and the same face of said intermediate disk being embedded partially in said disk and partially in the adjacent outer insulating disk, and a sectional heat-radiating cas ing containing all of said insulating disks and closely embracing said insulating disks at their outer circumferential edges.

l. An electric heater comprising three substantially parallel and concentric insulating and heat-transmitting disks arranged the one between the others, a currentconducting casing comprising two heatradiating metal sections which are arranged opposite the outer face of opposite outer insulating disks respectively. securing devices which are spaced circuinferentially of the axis of the heater and considerably farther from the outer circumference of said casing than from said axis and secure the casing the portions of said heat ice sections and insulating disks together, and a resistance wire confined by and between said insulating disks and extending circumferentially of said axis between the outer circumference of said casing and said securing devices, one end portion of said wire extending toward said axis and being adapted to be electrically connected to one terminal of a source of electrical energy, the aforesaid casing being adapted to be electrically connected, adjacent said axis, to the other terminal ofsaid source of electrical energy, and the aforesaid wire being electrically connected, at its other end portion, to said casing in proximity to the outer circumference of the casing.

5. A rotary electric heater comprising a tubular shaft adapted to be electrically connected to one terminal of a source of electrical energy, means for supporting the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a current-conducting member arranged internally of and surrounded by and insulated from the shaft and adapted to be electrically connected to the other terminal of the aforesaid source of electrical energy, insulating and heattransmitting disks extending circumferentially of and rotatable with the shaft, and a heat-developing electric eonductor confined by and between said disks electrically and extending circumferentially of the shaft and electrically connected, at one end thereof, to the shaft and, at its other end, to the' cally connected to the shaft, insulating and heat-transmitting disks confined in said casing and extending circumferentially of the shaft, securing devices which are spaced circumferentially of the shaft and considerably farther from the outer circumference of said casing than from the shaft and secure the casing-sections and insulating disks together, and a resistance wire confined by and between said insulating disks and extending circumferentially of the shaft between the outer circumference of saidcasing and said securing devices, the shaft and the aforesaid shaft-surrounded current-conducting member being adapted to be electrically connected to opposite terminals respectively of a source of electrical energy, one end portion of the aforesaid wire extending toward and being electrically connected to said shaftsurrounded current-conducting member, and the other end portion of said wire extending toward the outer circumference of and being connected to the aforesaid casing.

7. A rotary electric heater which comprises a tubular shaft adapted to be electrically connected to one terminal of a source of electrical energy and having a slot, means for supporting the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, an insulating tube arranged internally of and extending endwise of the shaft and havinga slot which registers with the slot in the shaft, a current-conducting member surrounded by said insulating tube and adapted to electrical energy, an insulating and heattransmitting disks extending circumferentially of and rotatable with the shaft, a heatdeveloping conductor comprising a resistance wire which extends circumferentially of the shaft and is confined by said disks,

and an insulating block engaging the aforesaid slot in the shaft, the aforesaid wire being electrically connected at one end portion thereof to the shaft,'and the other end portion of said wire extending through said block and into the slot in the aforesaid insulating tube and being electrically connected to the aforesaid current-conducting member surrounded by said tube.

8. A rotary electric-heater which comprises a tubular shaft adapted to be electrically connected to oneterminal of a source of electrical energy and having a slot extending to one end face and endwis e of the shaft, a support for the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, an insulating tube internally and extending endwiseof the shaft and having a slot which registers with the slot in the shaft and extends to the aforesaid end face of the shaft, a current-conducting member in said tube and adapted to be electrically connected to the other terminal of the aforesaid source of electrical energy, an insulating and heat-transmitting disks rotatable with and surrounding the shaft, a resistance wire extending around the shaft and embedded in said disks and electrically connected at one end portion thereof to the shaft. and an insulating block in the slot in the shaft, the other end portion of the aforesaid wire extending through said block and into the slot in the aforesaid tube and being electrically connected to the aforesaid current-conducting member in said tube, and said block abutting against the end wall of the slot in the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specificatlon.

- FRED G. NIECE.

be electrically connected to the other terminal of the aforesaid source of 

